Most buildings have a set of blueprints on file with a public agency such as a building inspector. For many buildings, these blueprints reflect the proposed or intended layout of the building. However, during the construction process, changes often are made to the layout of the building which may not be reflected in the blueprints on file. Furthermore, these blueprints may be stored as multiple records at multiple locations making it difficult to locate and access these records by emergency responders during an emergency, especially on weekends and holidays when no-one is typically working at the public agency's office. As a result, emergency responders may not have an accurate, if any, set of documents which reflect the current configuration of a building, or other selected environment during an emergency.
Most public buildings display an evacuation map showing the present location of a person viewing the map and the route to the closest exit. However during an emergency, a person may have a hard time remembering the route to the closest exit due to panic or excitement. Furthermore, the map is static in that it only shows one route which may become blocked or unusable due to heat, fire, smoke, debris, etc. In such an instance, the person may not have enough information to safely evacuate.